Improved apparatus for the ventilation of ships



wlw

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrin.

OLIVER D. WELLS, OF WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE VENTILATION OF SHIPS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER D. WELLs, of Westerly, in the county fWashington and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Means for Ventilating and Preserving the Materialof Ships and other Vessels, and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and exact description thereof.

The accompanyingv drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section on the line S S in Fig. 2.Fig. 2 is atransverse section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of aportion of one of the sides on a larger scale. It is taken on the lineof one of the water-tight horizontal partitions, which I designate bythe letter J. Fig. 4 represents a corresponding vertical sectionthrough' the timbers, showing` the method of forming the partition J.Fig. 5 is a vertical section ot' one of the sides between the timbers,showing the best method known to me of forming the passages c and z'. Italso shows the position of the partitions J relatively to thedeck-beams.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

Tints are employed to aid in distinguishingparts, and do not imply adifference of material. The entire wood-work may be oak or any othersuitable wood.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation by the aid of thedrawings and of the letters of reference marked thereon.

A represents the timber frame-work of a vessel; B, the outside skin orplanking, made tight by the ordinary means, and O D an inner skin, madeequally tight by corresponding means. The entire framework and skin ofthe vessel is represented as greatly increased in thickness above thatrequired in practice, in order the more plainly to indicate the parts,Figs. l and 2. The inner skin, O D, is not in a continuous layer, likethe outer skin, B. There are, on the contrary, lines or openings atdifferent levels, each extending the entire length of the ship, and eachtightly and strongly covered by a plank tted on so as to lap over uponthe adjacent planks and form a tight and strong connection therewith.The openings or breaks in the inner skin are represented respectively byc c2 c3, &c., and the planks which cover them are representedrespectively by D' D2 D3. The openings c c2 c3, thus provided within theinner line of the tiinber-traming A, afford a free circulation for airthrough the spaces between the timbers ot' the entire hull.

E and F are boxes or cases, of cast-iron or other suitable material,fixed in the hull at or near the level of the deck, with their openmouths presented horizontally outward, as represented. In the bottom ot'each is a hole, which allows the air to pass freely down between thetimbers. The hole c in the box-E is guarded by an ample valve, M, whichis, under ordinary circumstances, held up by a coiled spring, m. Thehole fin the bottom of the box F is guarded by a valve, N, which is heldup, under ordinary circumstances, by the coiled spring n. The tension ofeach spring m and n is suiiicient to sustain the weight ot' the valve,and also to resist the force of the wind; but when, under anycircumstances, the box becomes lled with water, as by the plunging ofthe vessel or the rise ot' the waves in a heavy sea, the weight ot' thewater pressing on the valve compels the spring to yield, and the valvecloses and prevents the water from iiowing down from the box into theframe-work of the vessel. This valve may be closed by hand, if desired,and secured after the ma-nner ot` the glass dead-lights ordinarily usedon shipboard.

In all the figures, G G are the deck-beams, and H the deck. I is awater-way, extending around the deck in the ordinary manner, but cutaway on its under side, so as to leave a capacious channel, t', beneathit. K is the clamp upon which the deck-beams G rest, and above this is acorresponding channel, fi. These channels e' i extend the entire lengthof the vessel, and communicate at the bow and stern with the boxes E andF, or with analogous boxes provided for the purpose and similarlyguarded against the entrance of water. 1 provide the passages i bothabove and below each deck, arranged as represent-ed in Fig. 5, and alsoprovide one or more passages, c, between each deck. The provision forthe passages c c", Sac., shown in Fig. 5 is worthy of not-ice. In thisfigure two planks, D D, are

`made thicker than the rest in the inner planking, and a rabbet ofsquare section is cut from the inside corner of each, where they abuttogether. The seam is tightly calked. This leaves a hollow groove orchannel, c, beneath, extending the entire length of the ship. Thisconstruction I generally prefer to the forln shown in Fig. 1.

A portion of the advantage of my invention may be realized by dispensingwith the boxes E F and connecting the several passages, t' i c c2, Ste.,with the open air at the bow and stern by means ot' simple pipes openinginside the bulwarks above the main or upper deck. In case such method isadopted provision must be made for closing the pipes connecting with thepassages tif, because these do not open into the water-tightcompartments, but connect over the lodge-knees and covering-knees withthe interior of the vessel. Gare should be taken to see that they arealways shut when in danger of receiving water. The passages c' c2 c3,Sac., may be left open all the time with safety, if desired.

The air, entering by the force of the wind or by the motion of thevessel, or by both causes, into the box E, passes down through theopening e and circulates through the longitudinal spaces c c2 c3. Incase water stands in the bottom of the vessel, so as to obstruct thepassage c', the spaces above are freely ventilated by the remainingchannels, c2 c3, &c. The air entering at either of these points maycirculate freely downward between the timbers to the surface ofthe waterand upward between the timbers and between the chocks P to the partitionJ at the top of the clamp K. The circulation of air thus induced orprovided for tends very effectnally to preserve the timbers under allordinary circumstances.

The water-tight partitions above and below each deck are provided in thefollowing manner: Chocks or balks of timber I), Fig. 3, are introducedbetween the timbers of the vessel, after which large holes are boredthrough between them and the timbers in such position as to 'cut partlyinto both timber and balk, as is shown in Figs. 3 and et. These holesare bored in a line with the top of theclampK, on which the deck-beamsrest, and also in a line with the top of the water-way I above.CylindersA of wood,j, are then driven tightly through these holes-andsawed off even with the edge of the timbers, both at the outer and innerside. After the clamp has been attached the joint d between it and thetimbers A and balks P is tightly ealked, and also the correspondingjoint between the timbers and the plankin g outside. After thedeck-beams G are secured and the water-wayI bolted on, the joint dbetween it and the timbers and balks is tightly calked, and the sam'eoperation again repeated on the outside between the timbers and theplanking B. These water-stops j and lines of calking or equivalentwater-tight packing d form tight partitions, which I designatecollectively as J, in the sides extending along the whole length of thevessel, so that the por` tion of the sides above and below thesepartitions may be filled with water without disturbin g or in any wayinterfering with the interior of the vessel or any other portion of thesides thereof. Y

I propose to employ two sets of pumps to rid my vessel of water, one tocommunicate with and pump out the hold ofthe vessel within the innerskin, C D, and the other to pump the space between the two skins.

Some of the advantages due to certain features of my invention may bcseparately enumerated as follows:

First, by reason of the fact that the inner skin, C D, is tightly fittedand ealked, my vessel is able to endure the destruction of aconsiderable portion of the planking or ordinary outer skin, B, withoutendangering its safety; and by filling between these skins with water Iprevent thc outer works above the water-line from drying up and becomingshrunken when exposed to a hotsun foralong time. It also affords megreat facility for saturating the planks and timbers with brine or otherpreserving-duid by iillin g the spaces between them with such fluid. Ialso prevent the choking of the pumps by dirt working through from theinside or hold of the vessel, and insure that the cargo shall not beinjured by having the water blown over it from the seams in theceilingin rough and stormy weather. The calking of the inner skin alsoconsiderably braces and stiens the vessel.

Second, by reason of the fact that the watertight partitions J dividethe walls of the ship into tight compartments, I am able to ll oneparticular portion of the walls of the ship with brine or other liquidwithout its passing to other parts of the vessel. 'Ihe partitions J,formed by driving the treenails or coags j between the timbers A J, asdescribed, prevent brine or other liquid from passing down within thesides from between the decks, so as to reach .the spaces t', from whereit could pass overthe lodge-knees and covering-knees to the interior ofthe vessel. It also provides against disaster byinjury to any one partby preventing any flow of water from one part to the other.

rIhird,by reason ofthe fact that theinner skin, C D, does not fittightly to the timbers A over their whole inner surface, but leavesconsiderable spaces c formed in the planking, extending the entirelength of the vessel and connected with the open air at each end, I amable to insure an ample passage for air, and to avail myself of thelateral motion or swash of the water between the two skins induced bythe rolling of the vessel, to promote a circulation of the air byalternately forcing it out and drawing it in, without detractin g fromthe strength of the timbers or tightness of the work.

Fourth, by reason of the fact that the passagest' t" extendlongitudinally both above and below the deck, as represented, I am ableto insure a passage for the air in contact with the ends of thedeck-beams and knees and timbers connected therewith, thereby tending topreserve them from decay.

Fifth, by reasonof the fact that my airways E F open horizontallyoutward and are guarded by valves M N, arranged as represented, I amablev to render available the force of the wind to impel currents of airthrough and along the framing of the vessel, both when at anchor and inmotion, and to exclude the water in case waves rise suficiently high tostrike the same.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. Theinterior tight skin, C D, arranged relatively to the timberframing A and to the tight plankin g or outer skin, B, substantially inthe manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The tight partitions J, formed in the sides of a vessel,substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The airways c between the parts D and A, arranged relatively to eachother and to suitable means of receiving and discharging the atmospheric air, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein setforth.

41.. The passages z', formed longitudinally above and below the deck ofa vessel, substantiallyin the manner and for the purpose herein setforth.

5. The airways E F and valves M N, mounted in a vessel, and arrangedrelatively to each other and to suitable passages for the 'movement ofair through the frame-work of the vessel, substantially in the mannerand for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

OLIVER D. WELLS.

Witnesses:

KIMBALL W. STETSON, EMIL VossNAcK.

